You would think after five of these posts, the well might be getting a little dry.....but no, not quite yet. I keep discovering some neat 90s albums all the time!
So, here are three more underrated albums from the 90s.
DGC Rarities Vol. 1 (1994)
Okay, okay, hear me out. I am NOT drunk on nostalgia.
If you are a true cool kid from the 90s you will remember seeing copious amounts of this album in the bargain bin at used CD stores. You probably knew someone who owned this CD and it was often considered a throwaway album. It was a total troll move to put Nirvana's demo "Pay to Play" (it's a note-for-note demo version of "Stay Away" with different lyrics) on this collection.
In an objective sense, this is merely a compilation of throwaway songs and demos from artists who were signed to Geffen. There are some heavy hitters here (Nirvana, Beck, Weezer, Hole, Counting Crows) and some indie favorites (Sloan, Sonic Youth, Teenage Fanclub).
This album is not that great, it is uneven and has zero flow between songs. But if you are looking for an album to surprise you and warm the cackles of your cold dead heart, take a listen and imagine buying this album for ONE song like I did (Weezer's "Jamie") because there was no way to listen to this song without buying it. Wow, what a world it was. Today the album feels like a love letter to the mid-90s.
You can't help but smile wistfully as the last track by The Sundays fades out.
Standout Tracks: Teenage Fanclub - "Maddog 20/20", Beck - "Bogusflow", Counting Crows - "Einstein on the Beach", Posies - "Open Every Window"
The 6ths - Wasps' Nests (1995)
There are some albums that can instantly relax you and The 6ths' Wasps Nest is one of them. I can even imagine falling asleep to this 60s pop-inspired journey after drinking a single beer. The album process was extremely unique as Stephin Merritt of the Magnetic Fields wrote and recorded the album but different vocalists sang lead on the songs (the best-known vocalist is Lou Barlow on "In the City in the Rain").
Most songs are dreamy, almost entrancing in their repetitive melodies (but, like, in a good way). The themes cover the gambit but there's a soft, warm melancholy surrounding the songs and lyrics. I think this album would be perfect for rainy days or something to encourage you to stop thinking of your problems and listen to someone else's. Highly recommended.
Standout Tracks - "Sand Deigo Zoo", "All Dressed Up in Drams" "Falling Out of Love (With You)", "Movies in my Head" and "In the City in the Rain".
Satellite Lovers - Sons of 1973 (1996)
For decades this Japanese pop/jazz masterpiece just existed....and yet, for reasons yet revealed....(possibly Satan himself) it never gained traction. About 3 months ago someone uploaded it on YouTube and through the algorithm's blessing (may the algorithm be blessed, most high), the Satellite Lovers album, Sons of 1973 is now being reevaluated as a classic 90s album. Okay, that's an exaggeration but it has 2 million views and I think it's great....isn't that good enough?
How did the world miss out on this band? I have heard some of their other albums but I have been focused on this gem and I will eventually get to the others (they are very diverse and don't sound like this album at all).
It's easily one of my favorite albums I've listened to this year. So if you like cheesy pop music and catchy songwriting with a side of jazz, check it out!
Standout Tracks - "Best Friend", "How Much I Love You", "Sunnyday, Holiday", " 空へ（S.L Meets HV!" - All of it, okay, just listen to all of it!!!
I have at least a few more albums up my sleeve.....until then, stay cool, kids, it's almost fall.
We live in the first quarter of the 21st century and as a consumer of pop culture, it's a little overwhelming with all the choices that we face. There are simply too many great books, films and albums that you will be bound to miss given the sheer amount of stuff out there and the limits of a human being.
I didn't discover this album until well after 1999.....more like in the summer of 2022. After an 8 week obsession this summer, I can easily state this is a stone-cold indie classic from the 90s and I know I will be coming back to it in the future.
2001's Satellite Rides was the first Old 97's album I listened to and it was probably my favorite album of 2001, so why I didn't check out the back half of the Old 97's discography is beyond me. I chalk it up to just being overwhelmed with so much music to listen to. I have been exploring and discovering 90's music for decades and there's always one more indie song or band I haven't heard of (or forgotten about) and it blows me away!
The Old 97's are considered alt-country and I guess that's a good description but if you enjoy quality pop songwriting, this is for you. They have a unique sound that straddles power-pop and alt-country. Most songs are about being lovesick, heartbroken and a fatalistic acceptance of what has been and what will be. Despite the lyrics, the album will just make you feel happy and most songs on this album are ear-worms. Whatever song your listening session ended on in your head for the next hour. It's great song after great song.
I could see a listener thinking this album is a little too "samey". But honestly, you could say that about 98.5% of albums in creation. This is a perfect album to wistfully sing along to in the car or happily sing along with as you run errands, fold the laundry, etc. This album would also be great background music to listen to as you talk with some friends at a picnic table with a few beers on a summer evening. I don't know, just listen to it and you decide what it's perfect for.
Standout Tracks: "Jagged", "Lonely Holiday", "Indefinitely", "What We Talk About", "Murder (Or a Heart Attack)", "Busted Afternoon", "19".
Matthew Sweet - 100% Fun (1995)
100% Fun is one of those albums I had read about in music magazines, saw in the discount bins but just never picked it up in the 90s...and for that, I am sorry. I should have spread the Matthew Sweet gospel in the 90s. 100% Fun feels like the 90s distilled in a bottle of fizzy, sweet soda pop.
Like Fight Songs, I just discovered this album quite late, in fact this past fall and I fell in love with it. If you're looking for another stroll towards the goodness of power pop from the 90s, you'll find a lot to like here. You might want to check your pulse if you aren't bobbing your head up and down to this album. Of course this album features the alt-classic, "Sick of Myself", the Beach Boy harmonies at the end of "Not When I Need It" to the R.E.M.-like verses of "We're the Same".....and that's all in the first three tracks!!
If you're looking for a rock and roll album that will make you want to forget about your problems and make you feel good about life, check this album out.
Standout Tracks: "Sick of Myself", "Not When I Need It", "We're the Same", "Everything Changes", "Come to Love", "Walk Out"
Travis - The Man Who (1999)
Unlike the other two albums, I discovered this album, somewhat near it's original release date. I had discovered 2001's Invisible Band in 2001, so I picked up The Man Who shortly thereafter.
The Man Who is a Brit-pop album and you'll know what I mean as soon as you hear the first track. A lot of people think Travis is a lesser version of the 90s incarnations of Oasis & Radiohead and yeah, well....that pretty much nails it. They are less talented, less sophisticated and less ambitious but is that necessarily a bad thing? It's catchy Brit pop, so what, can't I just enjoy a simple cheese burger sometimes?
This album is great for cloudy, cold days. Sure, maybe the album cover is hinting at this but there's something definitely something sad and wistful on this album that makes you feel like staying inside all day, away from the cold. It's not the best album you'll ever hear, but these posts are all about under-rated albums, check it out if you need a dose of Brit-pop.
Standout Tracks: "Writing to Reach You", "Driftwood", "Turn" "Why Does it Always Rain on Me?
I have nothing better to do, so it's time to explore EVEN more underrated albums from the 90s. At some point I am going to run out of underrated albums but there's at least one more post in me after this one. In this post, I share two albums that were personally important to me in the 90s but the first album I write about is an album I discovered much later.
Lemonheads - Car Button Cloth (1996)
Evan Dando is one weird dude (this is his current "intro video" on his YoutTube homepage) and I think it makes Car Button Cloth all the much better for it. Dando could never quite pull it altogether to make a great album (It's a Shame About Ray comes closest). But The Lemonhead's discography is full of good albums and some great songs. Car Button Cloth will have your head bopping along with the jangly guitars and catchy songs that feature odd and creative lyrics. It's an album that is just very, very 90's. If you like that slacker-college rock, indie music delivered in a deadpan tone, this will work for you. It's not an ambitious album, but it's definitely not straight-ahead "alternative" rock. It's got heart and some of these songs will stick with you. If the momentum of the first six tracks could have held, this would have been a classic 90s album. The back half isn't bad mind you, but the last 6-7 tracks are a grab-bag of okay or generic alternative songs.
Standout Tracks: Tracks 1-5, but especially "It's All True", "If I Could Talk I'd Tell You", "Hospital" and "The Outdoor Type".
Ben Folds Five - Naked Baby Photos (1997)
It's only one of my favorite songs of all time.
Yeah, yeah, I know, I know...should a compilation album of live performances and demos that was meant to be a quick cash grab capitalizing on a huge hit really be on this list? Yes, yes. and yes. Of course, this isn't Ben Folds Five's best album but it IS underrated and I love this charming album, warts and all. I should preface this by saying this should NOT be your introduction to Ben Folds or Ben Folds Five. If you're a newbie, start with Whatever and Ever Amen, then where you go next is up to you. This was one of those classic 90s purchases for me. I saw it at Best Buy, didn't know a single thing about it, and went for it. I can't really put into words why this album meant so much to me (although the fact I was projecting my romantic life into every single song on this album helps). It's still a worthwhile trip to take, even if you're not nostalgic for it. It gives you just a taste of what Ben Folds is like live. If you like brash, piano-driven, heart-on-your-sleeve anthems with dashes of jazz and heavy metal...give it a try.
This person has the whole album uploaded after being absent from YT or the internet in general for the last 20+ years, this was finally uploaded in 2020. This person is now my hero.
Coward is the classic case that proves sometimes good songwriting and great melodies aren't enough to "make it". I already said something similar to this in my first "Underrated 90s" post about The Pulsars (which ironically enough is another self-titled release from 1997). Coward released one album to lackluster sales and then promptly disintegrated into the ether of the late 90s. But what they left us with is a gem of an album. It's a fine example of 90s power pop, full of hooks, catchy choruses, rocking solos and good vibes. No doubt, if you give this album a chance, you'll be switching what your favorite song is every few weeks. It's a little cheesy and there are some lyrics (and maybe a song or two) that land with a thud but overall, it's breezy, rocky and fun. It's a mix of the debut albums of Weezer and Fountains of Wayne and it will be stuck in your head for the rest of your life. It's candy for your ears.
Standout Tracks: "Fell Down", "I Don't Care", " "I Wish", "I'm Alright", "Psycho", "Mulcahy's" - almost all of it okay!
I've done a few other posts of my favorite "underrated" albums of the '90s, so it's become a "thing" on this little blog of mine. So, here are three more underrated albums of the 90's.....
World Party - Goodbye Jumbo (1990)
This album doesn't feel like a 90's album but it doesn't feel like an 80's album either. It's a classic Beatles-esque album (from a British band no less). There are some echoes of Sloan here and that's a good thing. It's earnest, thoughtful but ultimately, too inconsistent to be considered a stone-cold 90's classic, at least for me personally. Its highs are very high though and it's enough for me to recommend it to you, a random stranger on the internet.
The album wrestles with worrying about the fate of the world and trying to find what hope is left (for the environment, for relationships, etc.). As I stated before it's a little uneven but still worth a listen, after all, your mileage may vary. There's something endearing and tragic when listening to the song, "Put the Message in the Box" in 2021 and knowing how the global community has failed our future. A good depressing chaser might be maybe the best song on the whole album, the Beach Boys-inspired, "God On My Side".
Stand Out Tracks for the Lazy: "Way Down Now", "Put the Message in the Box", "When the Rainbow Comes", "God On My Side".
that dog - Retreat from the Sun (1997)
This is the first track, but you can find the whole album on YT.
I suppose this is one of those albums you either love or hate. From my perspective, I have no idea how this didn't become a huge hit. If you like power pop, you're going to probably like it. that dog is such a unique band. You have those classic 90's distorted guitars with healthy dollops of violin, all with beautiful voices blending to create memorable melodies (insert chef's kiss).
Retreat from the Sun is a huge pop album full of sing-along anthems that will have you singing along or drumming on your steering wheel. You might even stop caring that people may see you belting these songs out in your car, at the top of your lungs. I recommend it for the summer, happy times, good moods, and long drives. There are some missteps on the back half of the album, but hey, just skip to the next track if you don't like it. Fun album, great songs, I come back to every few years and enjoy it all the same.
Stand Out Tracks for the Lazy: "I'm Gonna See You", "Never Say Never", "Being With You", "Minneapolis", "Long Island"
Built to Spill - There's Nothing Wrong with Love (1994)
If you aren't familiar with Built to Spill, you should be.... and this is a great album to introduce new people into their style and genius. It's easy to try to describe bands by comparing their sound to other bands but I can't really do that with Built to Spill. Their sound, song structure and lyrics are unique. I hope I am building this album up for you, because I am not afraid to do that. You need to listen to this album.
It's energetic, unpredictable, creative and of course, catchy. I recommend listening when you are working on completing boring or thoughtless tasks as it will liven up whatever it is you are doing. I love this album but the first six tracks are probably my favorite section of the album. Please don't stop there though. Embrace the weirdness, embrace this album.
Stand Out Tracks for the Lazy: Tracks 1-6, in particular, "In the Morning", "Reasons" and "Cleo".
The point is, I love 90's music and so should you.
Sloan - Twice Removed (1994)
Sloan made my list of underrated albums last summer with its masterpiece, One Chord To Another. While Twice Removed is less well-known than OCTA, it should be considered an indie classic. If you enjoy 90's rock n' roll with beautiful melodies that will stay stuck in your head for the rest of your life, then I recommend this album. There's a neat degree of diversity on this album, from fun rockers, "Penpals", "I Hate My Generation" and "Deeper than your Beauty", to mid-tempo rockers, "People of the Sky" and "Worried Now"; along with forlorn love songs that still take me back to my own heartaches and longings ("Bells On" and "Loosens"). For many years, this album was my therapy. The song I proposed to my wife is no other than "I Can Feel It". This album is so underrated, even I underrate it when I haven't listened to it in a while. From back to front, it's a great album. I love it, please give this album a shot.
Standout Tracks for the Lazy: "I Can Feel It", "I Hate My Generation", "Loosens", "Bells On"
Frank Black & The Catholics - S/T (1998)
There's something wonderfully weird when Frank Black isn't writing with the Pixies. It doesn't always mean success either, for every gem on Teenager of the Year, there are two more clunkers (although I do love "Speedy Marie" more than I can put into words). In my next "Underrated 90's Albums" blog series, I may get into The Cult of Ray, which is also good...but this self-titled album of Frank Black and the Catholics is just the bee's knees. It's rollicking and rolling and you will be sure to have your head bopping to every track. It's an all-time great cathartic sing-along album in the car on a warm summer night.
Famously, the band had sent a demo tape to a producer and the producer said, "you're already done...there's no need to record this in the studio"...and boom, just like that the album came into existence. There's is definitely a live feel for this album, it's a little messy but it makes for an endearing experience. It's one rocker after another (with "Dog Gone" being the exception) often the lyrics blend mythical creatures, biblical imagery and a mishmash of world geography and history. For all the uptempo rockers here, there's an underlying sadness and quiet anger in the songs.
Standout Tracks for the Lazy: "All My Ghosts", "Do You Feel Bad About It", "Dog Gone" "I Gotta Move"
For Squirrels - Example (1995)
If you're not familiar with the story of For Squirrels, it's a sad tale of tragedy and unfulfilled promise. Two of the four band members died in an accident while on tour for their first major-label debut album. I just can't divorce my mind from this tragedy when I listen to this album. Ironically, their single "Mighty K.C." exemplifies the album. The song was about the death of Kurt Cobain. It's got this classic 90's alt-rock verse (that are frankly nothing to write home about), builds to an okay pre-chorus and then....it hits you will this sugary pop chorus that is amazing. Given what happened to the band, I think it's best you listen to the chorus for yourself, but it might very well bring tears to your eyes. The album has a classic (one might say "typical") 90's alternative rock album sound and I don't mean that in a bad way. Some songs haven't aged as well ("Superstar" and "Stark Pretty") but many songs have only gotten better with age, especially the more REM-influenced tracks like "Smithville" and "Orangeworker". It's a solid all-around album. This album won't crack your top 30 albums of all-time but it's a solid album. If you like 90's rock with a dash of REM, go for it.
Standout Tracks for the Lazy: "Smithville", "Mighty K.C.", "8:02 AM", "Orangeworker"
Fig Dish - That's What Love Songs Often Do (1995)
Just search for the full YT playlist, this is only "Lemonader".
If you're looking for that classic, loud-soft-loud 90's power-pop sound, then I've got an album for you. I was first introduced to this album from my radio show in college. We regularly played "Seeds" and "Chew Toy" off the album but in the years that followed, I admit I forgot this band existed. Sometime in the mid-aughts I was reflecting on the old show and I remembered this album and purchased it online. It's a bit like if Jawbreaker and Fountains of Wayne had a baby - it's heavy, catchy and an all-around great rock album that delivers sardonic delivery and romantic lyrics. The Chicago-based band only released two albums but I found the other album didn't capture my attention quite like this one. If you're a fan of "power pop" in the truest sense of the term, check it out.
I'll be back in a few months with EVEN MORE underrated albums from the 90's. Until then, stay safe, stay cool and next time you're at the store get yourself an ice cream treat.
I was going to write an intro about how awesome the 90's were but then I realized all I want to do is write about some underrated late 90's albums. I don't need write a pointless introduction on a blog post maybe no one will ever read!
So, in no particular order, here's six underrated (or unknown) late 90's albums. There are more out there...so maybe one day a sequel is in order (you know the drill, don't hold your breath).
The Pulsars - S/T - 1997
Have you ever wondered what would happen if someone dropped an near perfect pop album in a time when the style just didn't fit the times? This album fits the bill.
Because The Pulsars didn't sound like anything at the time, it was probably doomed to fail. And fail it did, as hardly anyone knew this album existed at the time of its release but it's something of a cult hit among indie rock/alt rock fans today (or cool people like me, I have no idea how to label this music anymore).
The song writing is timeless but the sound is time bound (and that's a good thing), you'll know what I mean when you listen to it. The Pulsars album is all about the future - electric beeps and bops, countdowns and songs that usually feature synths and keyboards. Most songs are focused on the future as well; technology, pet robots, silicon teens, and of course, love. The lyrics are are charming and fun with a dash of paranoia and melancholia. The album reminds me of a darker and weirder Fountains of Wayne and just like a Fountains of Wayne album, you'll be singing along with the songs before they finish. When I first heard this album about 5 years ago I couldn't believe I hadn't discovered it by now.
Now, it's your turn. You're welcome.
Standout tracks for the lazy: Tunnel Song, Suffocation, My Pet Robot, Submission Song
Sloan - One Chord To Another (1996)
If there's any band that did the Beatles better than the Beatles, it's Sloan on One Chord To Another. I am not writing that lightly....it's that good.
It might be the most self-aware rock album that I know of (from the faux-live concert track to various song titles and themes including "G Turns to D" and "A Side Wins") this is the equivalent of breaking the fourth wall during a movie. It can be off-putting if not done well, but it works here.
Just because it's self-aware doesn't mean it doesn't have heart. It's got that in spades. It's a perfect album for the college years or for times of figuring things out. I am a little biased because this album was there for me during college. I discovered the album as a DJ at my college station and I loved it so much, I stole it. Yeah, I stole it and I am not that sorry about it (okay, so I do actually feel a little bad about it). I just couldn't imagine my life without it and this is before I felt safe buying anything on the internet yet and this album wasn't at any store I had seen.
Many songs are about figuring out who you are, figuring out who other people who you love are and about experiencing the forlorn nature of love and life. This is easily the album on this list I am most personally connected to. Most songs on this album draw me back to particular people, times or feelings. One of my favorite albums of all time.
If you're bored of Beatles albums you've heard a million times and want to hear a band at their peak, check it out.
Standout tracks for the lazy: The Good In Everyone, Autobiography, Everything You've Done Wrong, The Lines You Amend
of Montreal - Cherry Peel (1997)
I am embarrassed to say I only discovered this album for the first time last year. I can say I would have pretty much worshiped this album in the 90's if I had only know it existed. Even all these years later (and me being an old man) it's rocketed into maybe, just maybe into my top ten albums of all time.
Cherry Peel is a lo-fi rock masterpiece that's all about unrequited love....if you're in love with someone and they don't know it, you need to pick this up ASAP. It's weird, catchy, acoustic-indie pop with clever, sometimes bizarre lyrics and songs. It will charm you and make you feel young again.
Standout Tracks for the Lazy: Tracks 2-6: Baby, I Can't Stop Your Memory, When You're Loved Like You Are, Don't Ask Me To Explain, In Dreams I Dance With You
Superdrag - Head Trip in Every Key (1998)
No full album link is available, but this is the first track and it's outstanding.
John Davis might be a genius and I think Head Trip in Every Key might be his peak achievement. Maybe I just love this album and I'm not sure I can be objective about it. It's not a perfect album by any means, but it more than makes up for its middling middle-act. This album feels like a realization of what "alternative rock" could achieve; "Mr. Underground" is a welcome re-hashing of classic rock riffs while "Shuck & Jive" blends punk with a Beach Boys' bridge. "Shuck & Jive" uses a similar (the same?) riff to Nirvana's "Stain" and crafts a much better song than Cobain did with that riff.
With it's pulsating, driving songs, you'll be pounding on a desk or whatever else is nearby playing the drums along with songs like "Hellbent" and "Sold You An Alibi". This album is about a relationship falling apart that hasn't yet met it's end. How do you end something you don't know how to end? If you like your rock a little more straight ahead, check it out. Standout Tracks for the Lazy: I'm Expanding My Mind, Hellbent. Pine Away (a personal favorite that is objectively not as strong as the other tracks listed here), Shuck & Jive
The Apples in Stereo - Tone Soul Evolution (1997)
My second Elephant Six Collective offering on this list (the other is of Montreal). This album was my introduction to the AIS in 1997. I was taken aback and didn't quite know what to make of them at first but I loved "You Said That Last Night" and played it on our radio show, The Paba Free Show. Tone Soul Evolution is a perfect balance between AIS' early work (Fun Trick Noisemaker) and later, somewhat over-the-top pop work (which I still like). If you're unfamiliar with the AIS, it's like if the Beach Boys were blended with indie rock from the 90's.
It's a perfect album for summer night drives or listening by the pool side. It's light,fun and you'll be bobbing your head. Beautiful back-up vocals, melodies and guitar work are abound. A rare album that just makes you feel good for being alive just to hear it.
If you want to listen to something fun with beautiful melodies....give it a spin.
Standout Tracks for the Lazy: Heard About Your Fame, Silver Chain, Tin Pan Alley, You Said That Last Night
Spoon - A Series of Sneaks (1997)
There is no full-album link of Youtube, but you'll find the playlist if you search for it. Instead, here's the best song (which is technically on the deluxe version).
Not Spoon's first album, but their first minor splash in the big music world. If you love modern Spoon, let me warn you, this is baby Spoon, taking it's first steps. It's more straight-ahead, punk and rock than the later, angular, more mature Spoon. A Series of Sneaks is one banger after another (four songs are under 3:05 and two are under one minute). That said, many songs show the promise of Britt Daniels finding himself as an artist and songwriter. I am partial to the punk-infused "Execution" (with a whistling bridge, no less) and later my personal favorite on the standard album, the lo-fi, chill, gem-of-a-song, "Metal Detektor".
Honestly, this album is a little all over the place. Yes, there are some good songs but there's some clunkers as well. Your mileage may vary...but if you're a Spoon fan or a 90's music fan, it's worth a listen. As with any Spoon album, much of the songs brilliance come from the lyrics. There's an obvious mystery and vagueness to each song that makes the album fun for the listener to find their own connections and meanings with. Not to say there's not some obvious references to the music industry...which brings me to the real reason you should listen to this album (on the deluxe album) the beautiful and amazing bonus tracks, "Laffitte Don't Fail Me Now" and "The Agony of Laffitee". Both songs were recorded in response to the failure of the label to support the band...and both are acoustic-based, beautiful pop creations ("Agony" is a masterpiece) if you listen to these songs, you'll know what kind of music I love.
Standout Tracks for the Lazy: Execution, Metal Detektor, Car Radio, Advance Cassette, Laffitte Don't Fail Me Know, The Agony of Laffitee
The idea that maybe, just maybe, by the tiniest of chances, someone might discover one of these albums because of me makes me happy. What can I say? This freaking blog has "hopeful" in it's title! Happy listening folks!
